Boot and shoe



P. KELLY, Boots and Shoes.

No. 229,144. Patented June 22,1880.

N-PETERS, PHO'IULITMOGRAPHER, WASNXNGTON. I16.

UNITED STATES PATENT OF ica PATRICK KELLY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

BOOT AND SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 229,144, dated June 22, 1880. Application filed February 12, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK KELLY, of San Francisco, county of San Francisco, and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shoes; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to gaiters of the class in which elastic gores are used to allow the expansion necessary in putting on or taking off the gaiter.

Heretofore, as is well known, it has been customary to place straight gores of elastic material in the leg of gaiters, such gores tapering from the top down to their point of termination at the upper edge of the counter or vamp. Such gores have ordinarily been placed on each side of the leg, about midway from front to rear, but have also been placed out of the central line, to avoid the anklebone, which, when the elastic material is placed on it, is closely pressed, and also exposes the said material more to wear. This gore, placed out of line of the ankle-bone, is

shown in the patent granted to Love, May 27, 1873, numbered 139,321.

My invention aims to improve the appearance of the gaiter, and to avoid locating the elastic material over the region of the anklebone, and at the same time, by means of the curved shape of the gore, to adapt it to the form of the ankle-bone, while preserving the full effect of the elastic material, permitting he leg to expand without wrinkling.

The figure in the drawing represents a side elevation of my improved gaiter.

The upper in this figure is represented at a, extending upward at I), upon the front portion of the leg 0. This upper is cut on a curve, a; m, of which the upper edge of the counterforms a continuation. The leg is represented as substantially the same in shape as the leg of an ordinary boot, except in length. It forms substantially a half-boot, and is composed of two parts, at and c, besides the gore of elastic material. These two parts are of the shape shown in the figure, and may be made of any material such as is commonly used for this purpose. The front part, d, forms the large part of the leg. Its rear edge is formed upon a curve, concave to the front, and is fitted to the curve of the gore f. The rear part, 6, is made narrow at the upper end, but gradually widens down to its line of junction with the counter. This construction of the rear and front portions of the leg leaves a space for a curved tapering gore of ordinary elastic cloth, which is adapted to fit around the ankle-hone and extend slightly underneath it. This shape of the gore entirely avoids the projecting bone, and gives a longer extent of elastic material, and is also better adapted to bend when the front part of the leg is thrown forward in inserting or removing the foot. Were the elastic gore carried straight down the leather would be bent in putting on or removing the gaiter from the point 2 instead of the point 1, from which it now bends.

The forward curve of the lower end of the gore also gives another advantage, that of the greater breadth of the back piece, e, at the line of junction .With the counter, and prevents crowding the seam all upon the heel. The construction is specially adapted to gaiters of the form shown, with loose half-legs.

The curved gores afford ample elasticity, and as they are practically hidden from View, the'boot presents the appearance of an ordinary full boot. I

Only one side of the leg with the elastic gore has been shown but it will be understood that both sides are alike in this respect.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- The described improvement in gaiters, con sisting of the broad front part, (Z, of the leg,

the narrow rear part, c, and the tapering elas- 

